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West Meets East: Sony and Warner Deliver Western Content to Asia Market

by Carlo Orlando on January, 31 2007 at 08:01AM EST

Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group have agreed to provide music downloads from America and distribute other western content directly onto mobile phones for sale in the Asian market. The two will operate out of China in association with the already established ACCESS China Media Solutions.

ACCESS China Media Solutions is its own international joint venture, combining ACCESS Ltd. of China and Melodeo of the United States. ACCESS China Media Solutions was formed in early 2006 as a means for Melodeo to distribute its technology to wireless carriers and handset makers in China. (Source: usatoday.com)

Now, Sony BMG and Warner Music will attempt to enter into the Asian market via ACCESS, though the extent of these investments still remains unclear.

Melodeo produces software through which mobile phone users can dial up digital content such as ringtones, listen to podcasts or download songs in their entirety. (Source: theglobeandmail.com)

Sony BMG and Warner Music Group are expected to play a vital role in the continued success of the already popular ACCESS China Media Solutions venture. The two companies will implement a wide range of western music into the Eastern market, which will be playable on all Melodeo software.

Their investment in ACCESS gives both Sony BMG and Warner Music some control in deciding how the technology will be used to play their music and also outlines how their recording artists will be protected from the unauthorized piracy of their music. (Source: theglobeandmail.com)

In general, mobile phone networks are believed to be more secure than the Internet in terms of sharing digital content. Record labels are nonetheless keen on avoiding the problems that piracy poses with CD distributions and online downloads through unauthorized file-sharing networks.

ACCESS will also include a digital rights management system as part of its deal with Sony BMG and Warner Music. The system will prevent content that is being distributed over their mobile phones from being copied without permission. (Source: usatoday.com)

Currently, ACCESS China Media Solutions has only secured the services of one cellphone network operator, MobileOne Ltd. of Singapore.